Within-Person Variation in Security of Attachment: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective on Attachment, Need Fulfillment, and Well-Being

Attachment research has traditionally focused on individual differences in global patterns of attachment to important others. The current research instead focuses primarily on within-person variability in attachments across relational partners. It was predicted that within-person variability would b...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 2000-09, Vol.79 (3), p.367-384
Main Authors: La Guardia, Jennifer G, Ryan, Richard M, Couchman, Charles E, Deci, Edward L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adolescent
Adult
Affectivity. Emotion
Attachment Behavior
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Freedom
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Humans
Individuality
Interpersonal Interaction
Interpersonal Relations
Male
Needs
Object Attachment
Personality Development
Personality. Affectivity
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Social interactions. Communication. Group processes
Social psychology
Social Support
Theories
Well Being
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Attachment research has traditionally focused on individual differences in global patterns of attachment to important others. The current research instead focuses primarily on within-person variability in attachments across relational partners. It was predicted that within-person variability would be substantial, even among primary attachment figures of mother, father, romantic partner, and best friend. The prediction was supported in three studies. Furthermore, in line with self-determination theory, multilevel modeling and regression analyses showed that, at the relationship level, individuals' experience of fulfillment of the basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness positively predicted overall attachment security, model of self, and model of other. Relations of both attachment and need satisfaction to well-being were also explored.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.79.3.367